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A war of attrition surprisingly unrecognized or ignored over time by the targets of the prolonged, mindless assault has been raging in Nigeria through the years. The assault has been at once sophisticated and crude in execution. It remains vicious all the same, in whichever form it comes.
In its diverse faces, the onslaught can be intensive and direct. It can also be delivered in beguiling subterfuge, taking even the nature of media commentary. The motivating objective of the onslaught remains unchanged: to undermine or possibly disable the prime targets, the unrepentant entrepreneurs of the land who have stubbornly refused to be discouraged from forging ahead economically, in spite of all odds.
Over a stretch of a period dating back to decades, especially since Nigeria was cobbled together as a state, the war of attrition against the more enterprising or economically bullish group of citizens by the tribe of the less enterprising others, or those who psychologically see themselves as such, has refused to ease off. The resentment has been at the root of several arson attacks, killings and not a few awkward official policies that aim, at various points, to deny enterprising citizens their assets and benefits of their sweat.
This war, the longest in Nigeria, has remained unrecorded and formally undeclared, even as it obviously is still far from an end. Curiously, many of those who are waging the war cannot clearly explain what their grouse is, except that some others in the society always manage to do better than them. It is a strange situation but one that has become a part of Nigeria, amply promoted, in many instances, by elements in power who share the same pathetic mindset. If the undeclared war against free enterprise and industriousness is a grudge war, the logical question would be, grudge over what? There is no answer in the offing.
The goal of the bitter campaign seems to be simple, bring down the more illustrious neighbours, by any means necessary. The scenario is pathetic.
Not even the foundation of the Nigerian state offers a good explanation for the unfortunate mindset that makes the spirit of enterprise a mortal sin, for which a motley amalgam of some other compatriots will perpetually seek to undo the industrious lot.
Although Nigeria was forged out of distinct peoples with divergent values and orientations, some of which remain disparate, the constituent entities of pre-colonial Nigeria that were later stitched together in the Nigerian state had at least one shared essential orientation among them. They all subscribed to the fundamental philosophy of free enterprise.
Of course, the free-market philosophy that prevailed in the pre-colonial and even colonial Nigerian societies had mechanisms that moderated human greed. This is a vital distinguishing characteristic from the regime of unbridled greed that hallmark western capitalism. The economic system of pre-colonial and colonial Nigeria gave room for individual and group enterprise and wealth creation. Those who could, dared in various enterprises. And those who dared often thrived. No group prevented any other from being enterprising.
The unending war of attrition in Nigeria against the spirit of enterprise and industriousness by those who find themselves incapable of matching the drive and acumen of the industrious ones, is, therefore, inexplicable. This tendency may yet undo Nigeria. The destructive tendency must be combated and brought to an end without delay, in the interest of the society at large. No society progresses by allowing the envy of the less enterprising lot to remain a permanent threat to the spirit of enterprise in those who strive to excel.
The Nigerian system has not prevented anyone from striving to succeed in its free enterprise arena. It is interesting that the system, as it has been, has actually tried through various means, to hold back those who strive. Unfortunately, the policies have not yielded the desired result. It rather encourages indolence, promoted in many instances for political gains. It may seem that the war of attrition being waged by the less enterprising in the Nigerian society is targeted essentially against the Igbo, but in the long run the war is against the collective aspiration of Nigeria as a country. The Igbo may be the immediate victims of the anti-enterprise expeditions, but in truth they cannot lose.
The periodic burning down or demolition of private properties in various parts of the country, predominantly owned by the Igbo, may seem to myopic elements to be a strike against a people, but it is much more than that. No policy that cuts the nose to spite the face ever elevates, in the long-term.
The bane of Nigeria’s development, both as an aspiring cohesive state and as an economic force, especially against the backdrop of its enormous potential, has always been located in ethnic politics and clannishness in their most corrosive forms. Sadly, the malady is becoming worse. It is even being presented as a viable strategy for gaining political head start. Such a tragedy.
It is very difficult to see how any society can thrive and progress in the face of the convergence of the complications arising from ethnic politics and the expanding war of attrition against free enterprise and industriousness by the tribe of the unenterprising in the society. From where will the progress come? The declining productivity that is haunting the Nigerian economy presently is not without a clear explanation.
How does a society intend to grow, where demagogues hold sway in prime public positions, with an alarmingly growing number of arguably unenterprising citizens who are quick to instigate the destruction of the investments of the industrious ones? This is a clear recipe for economic and social atrophy. Destroying the property and investment of other citizens on one flimsy excuse or another, may seem hip for some governments at the moment, but it has its long-term negative implications. The day of reckoning will come, sooner than expected.
Penultimate week in Abuja, the Nigerian Army found itself once more, in the middle of an otherwise civil matter. As the story came, someone purchased a telephone set at a shop at Banex Plaza, the burstling hub of information technology hardware business in Abuja. The new purchase was discovered by the buyer to have a problem. He returned to the store to complain and seek restitution. The matter was either not being settled quick enough, or the buyer felt short-changed and subsequently called in a serviceman relation. In due course, the unformed man found himself in the midst of shuffling and altercation with the traders in the area. He was alleged to have been beaten up, in his unform. He obviously lodged a report back at his station, and the Army authority moved in and sealed Banex Plaza. All of the massive business estate.
The propriety or otherwise of the actions and reactions of all the parties involved, which resulted in soldiers laying siege to Banex and closing down business for days, is not the issue here. The concern is the reaction from the bitter tribe of the unenterprising.
But for a warped mindset, what is it that transpired at Banex Plaza that could have prompted anyone to recommend as some went on to do on the social media, that Banex Plaza should be demolished? Someone recommended that the entire business premises should be locked up for as long as the military desired.
It is most unlikely that the real estate investor who built the landmark business area that Banex has become, owns a shop in his property. Even it he does, he will likely not be the owner of the telephone shop where the contentious transaction of telephone took place. How then does the suggestion that Banex should be demolished come up, if not from those who believe that the spirit of enterprise in Nigeria must be undermined?
This is the same mindset that leads to arson, people picking up match stick and fuel to burn down edifices and investments that neither they themselves, nor their entire lineage could ever build, in the name of public protest. How so depraved. This is the same mindset and pang of criminality that accounts for the recent epidemic of riffraffs and unproductive elements remorselessly burning down mansions and multi-billion Naira investments in parts of the country, at the slightest prodding, in the name of settling a local score or protesting one policy or another.
Assets of citizens are assets of the society. The gale of official demolition of private properties and investments by some state governors and even the federal government, in recent times, set dangerous precedence that will, in due course, hurt the spirit of enterprise in the society.
Nigeria is a free enterprise society. Nobody is restrained from engaging in legitimate business. The government owes it a duty to protect all enterprises, investments and property of citizens across the country. Encouraging those who produce nothing as it were, to continue to destroy the investment of the enterprising groups in the society, at the slightly opportunity, is a sign of official complicity in criminality. This must stop.
